A bill signed April 10 by Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius will require homebuyers to receive information about a home's energy efficiency. The bill also adopts energy efficiency standards for new commercial and industrial buildings.

"Of all the costs associated with owning a home, energy costs are often the most overlooked. Now homebuyers will have an opportunity to see how energy efficient a house is before making a purchase," said Sebelius. "Additionally, the new standards for business and industry will help us meet our goal of reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions."

The bill, HB 2036, requires that information about the energy efficiency of new homes be made available prior to purchase, whenever the house is shown, and at any other time upon request. The legislation also updates the Kansas Energy Efficiency Disclosure form to provide homebuyers with information in a user-friendly format that allows for comparison with current international and national standards.

Furthermore, the bill adopts the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code as the energy efficiency standard for new commercial and industrial structures.